Phoenix is beginning to feel like a real NBA town again. At pre-draft workouts on Wednesday, the coach was believable, the general manager accessible, the players eager to please.

Even if a title isn’t in the team’s immediate future, the dream of one has returned. The process of fulfillment took its first big step with the presence at US Airways Center of eight NBA hopefuls, including several the Suns will consider taking with their fifth overall pick.

“This was a really talented group,” new general manager Ryan McDonough said. “We had a bunch of guys in the gym who I think will end up in the lottery.”

Most striking was the collective sense of vision. McDonough and new coach Jeff Hornacek spoke separately but used many of the same words to describe the direction of the organization.

An impressive steadiness defines Hornacek. There is confidence without raging ego. He knew exactly what he was looking for Wednesday.

“Competitors,” he said. “You want guys who fight and scratch and dive on the floor. To turn things around from a 25-win team, you’ve got to have that.

“I like the hard workers, probably because I felt that’s what I always did and I was able to stick around the league for a while.”

Even the players seemed intrigued by the new coach. UCLA forward Shabazz Muhammad marveled at how Hornacek ran Wednesday’s workouts by himself.

Among those participating was Indiana junior Victor Oladipo, who deserves to be near the top of the Suns’ list.

“On the last shooting drill we did,” Hornacek said, “he wanted to do it one more time.”

The 6-foot-4 shooting guard made a strong impression in his media session, too. He was forthright, eager and thoughtful.

“I think I could fit in (with the Suns) real well,” he said. “It’s up-tempo here.”

He was the breakout star of the college season. He is a terrific defender but also an unappreciated shooter who led the Big Ten with a 59.9 field goal percentage. It’s his athleticism, though, that hints of a player who can blossom in the NBA.

A Oladipo-Goran Dragic backcourt? Color me intrigued.

The more teams meet with Oladipo, the more his stock will rise. He might not be available at No. 5. If that’s the case, the Suns will look hard at Kansas guard Ben McLemore, should he still be available.

Those of us who crush on pure shooters love McLemore, who has a beautiful stroke, not to mention great explosiveness and upside. The 6-4 freshman has generated a lot of buzz in the draft, although some skeptics have questioned his numbers dropping in the postseason.

He was the only player among the eight who didn’t compete with the others but held an individual workout, as per instructions from his agent.

He, too, could envision himself on the Suns.

“It would be great getting up and down the floor, running (with) a great point guard who can see the open floor,” he said.

McLemore has “a beautiful-looking stroke,” McDonough said. “He’s probably a little bit ahead of Victor as a shooter. Where Victor is ahead is defensively and things like that.

“It’s a tough call. Those are two of the top guys in the draft. … They both bring a lot to the table.”

So does Muhammad, who brings talent and baggage.

During interviews Wednesday he came off as bright and intent on making a strong impression.

He came into town early, explored the city and made a few connections with current players, he said.

“(The Suns) need a guy who can score the ball,” he said “With Kendall (Marshall) and Dragic, who are really good point guards, and the Morris twins, I feel like I could step in and help this team right away.”

Off-the-court issues have hounded Muhammad, however, including an investigation into improper benefits while at UCLA, the revelation that he was 20 and not 19 as the Bruins believed, and reports that his father is in house arrest because of federal fraud charges.

Opinions vary on his game, too, although Hornacek said “you look at him and go, ‘That guy offensively can do some things.’ ”

McDonough said the team has done extensive background research on Muhammad and “he checked out very well. I think a lot of the perception of Shabazz is unfair based on the information we’ve gathered.

“I think he’s one of hardest workers in the draft.”

Let’s hope the Suns are, too.

Reach Boivin at paola.boivin@arizonarepublic.com and follow her at Twitter.com/PaolaBoivin. Listen to her on "Big Guy on Sports" on pros2preps.com with Brad Cesmat every Monday at 12:30 p.m. on XTRA Sports 910.

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